Your heavy armor skill increases by 1.25 experience points for every hit taken (assuming the area hit is wearing heavy armor), whether due to melee or archery combat.

To maximize heavy armor skill increases, you should wear an almost complete set of heavy armor (boots, cuirass, gauntlets, greaves, helmet but no shield). Let an enemy hit you repeatedly without blocking and your skill will increase. If you block using your hands, both your heavy armor and Block skills will increase.

The following table provides the messages that are displayed when your Heavy Armor skill levels up.

Level

Message

Apprentice

Days and weeks of constant use make wearing heavy armor tolerable, but not comfortable. You have learned to adapt to its weight and use it in combat. As an Apprentice of Heavy Armor, your plate mail is no longer damaged as swiftly from combat.

Journeyman

Days and weeks of constant use make wearing heavy armor tolerable, but not comfortable. You have learned to adapt to its weight and use it in combat. As a Journeyman of Heavy Armor, your plate mail is no longer damaged as swiftly from combat.

Expert

Days and weeks of constant use make wearing heavy armor tolerable, but not comfortable. You have learned to adapt to its weight and use it in combat. As an Expert of Heavy Armor, your plate mail no longer encumbers you as much when you are running or swimming.

Master

Days and weeks of constant use make wearing heavy armor tolerable, but not comfortable. You have learned to adapt to its weight and use it in combat. As a Master of Heavy Armor, your plate mail no longer encumbers you at all when you are running or swimming.

Starting characters in heavy armor will enable high Endurance attribute bonuses and make a tougher character at high levels. Try to wear primarily unenchanted armor (you cannot repair enchanted armor until Journeyman rank in Armorer skill is achieved) and repair as much as finances afford (buy repair hammers, not repair services.)

If you visit the Lord birthsign doomstone you can receive the greater power Ysmir's Scales. One of several benefits of this power is that it fortifies your heavy armor skill 10 points once a day for 120 seconds.

Once your renown reaches 60, you can visit the Shezarr heaven doomstone to receive the greater power Shield of Shezarr. One of several benefits of this power is that it fortifies your heavy armor skill 20 points once a day for 120 seconds.

When a Master in both Light Armor and Heavy Armor, both provide the same defense at the same quality (Glass-Daedric, for example). The only difference is that Heavy armor has more health.